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GET IT NOWMy Baked Turkey Wings Recipe Has Big Turkey Flavor For A Smaller Crowd
If you love turkey but don’t want to roast an entire bird, these baked turkey wings are the best of both worlds. I created this turkey wings recipe one year when I was craving that cozy, roasted turkey flavor long before Thanksgiving. Here’s why it’s been a staple at my house every fall ever since:
- Holiday turkey flavor in a smaller, faster package – You get perfectly seasoned, roasted meat in a fraction of the time. I love not having to worry about brining, planning, or carving.
- Tender and crispy at the same time – These baked turkey wings turned out juicy inside, golden and crispy outside, and full of so much flavor. In fact, more surface area makes them even more flavorful than a whole bird.
- 6 simple ingredients – Plus salt. If you’ve got a package of turkey wings, you probably have everything else you need.
- Perfect for a smaller crowd on Thanksgiving – Or just a family dinner for any cold night! This recipe makes convenient individual portions with less effort.
If you’ve made whole chicken wings before and liked them, these turkey wings are like a special holiday upgrade. Make them with me!
“I definitely enjoyed these turkey wings more than I expected I would. Prepped this for dinner last night and it was an instant hit! This surely earned a spot on my holiday menu. AMAZING recipe!”
-Love
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my baked turkey wings recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Whole Turkey Wings – Look for fresh, whole turkey wings that add up to around 5 pounds in total. I originally found them at the store one year, but sometimes I have to get them from my local butcher. If you have separated wingettes or drumettes, those will work, too. You can also make this recipe with whole chicken wings or turkey legs, but the cooking times will be different, so check those recipes for the times even if you want to use the seasoning mix I used here.
- Olive Oil – Adds flavor, locks in moisture, promotes browning, and helps the seasonings stick. Avocado oil or any neutral cooking oil is fine.
- Seasonings – I used a combination of my homemade poultry seasoning and Cajun seasoning (they take 5 minutes each!) for lots of flavor. Store bought blends work, too. You will also need sea salt. If you prefer a more mellow flavor instead of the bold one I used here, I recommend a combination of dried rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Onions – When cut into large pieces, they act as a “rack” (for the wings to rest on), that adds flavor at the same time. I used yellow onions, but feel free to use white onions, red onions, or even other root vegetables, such as carrots. You can also omit them and just use a roasting pan with a rack.
- Chicken Broth – Broth at the bottom of the pan helps keep the wings moist as they roast. You can make your own chicken broth, use store-bought, or even choose bone broth.
How To Cook Turkey Wings
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Prep the onions. Cut them into 1-inch pieces and arrange them in an even layer on the bottom of an extra large baking dish.
- Season the wings. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, poultry seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and salt. Brush the seasoning mixture all over turkey wings. Place them on top of the onions. I try to arrange them like puzzle pieces, so they are not overlapping too much, as this helps them cook evenly.
- Add the broth. See my tips below for how I recommend adding this.
- Bake turkey wings. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake. Remove the foil and continue baking until crispy and browned.
My Recipe Tips
- If you have time, let the turkey wings come to room temperature before cooking. This helps them cook more evenly.
- Don’t pour the broth directly onto the turkey wings. Doing so will wash off the spice mixture. Instead, add the broth from one corner of the baking dish, so that it goes straight to the bottom.
- Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Like my other meat and poultry recipes, this is the key to juicy turkey wings! Since they’re white meat, I aim for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. However, since the internal temp rises a few more degrees after removing from the oven, I most often pull them around 162-163 degrees F. If you want to time this perfectly, use a probe thermometer like this.
- Baking time can vary depending on the size of the turkey wings. Mine here were 5 pounds for 4 of them, but this is why I recommend the thermometer method (above).
- You can broil to crisp the skin at the end if needed. I don’t usually do this because I find it gets crispy enough after removing the foil.
- Feel free to make gravy with the drippings. They work perfectly in my new gluten-free gravy recipe! You’ll just need to remove the onions first.
Baked Turkey Wings
My baked turkey wings recipe has a punchy, savory seasoning blend, tender meat, and golden, crispy skin. Perfect for a smaller holiday meal!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
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In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, poultry seasoning, cajun seasoning and sea salt.
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Brush the seasoning mixture all over the turkey wings.
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Arrange the onion pieces in an even layer on the bottom of an extra large baking dish (mine was this size). (You can also skip the onions and roast in a roasting pan with rack instead.)
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Place the turkey wings on top of the onions (or rack).
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Pour the chicken broth into the baking dish, but make sure not to pour it directly over the wings (as this would wash off the spice mixture).
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Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the middle rack of your oven. Bake turkey wings for 90 minutes.
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Remove the foil and continue roasting, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, until crispy and browned. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 turkey wing
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get juicy, flavorful turkey wings with crispy skin every time.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: I usually warm these turkey wings in the oven at 350 degrees F, or you can pop 1-2 at a time in the air fryer. For something different, remove the meat from the bones and toss it into my leftover turkey soup or turkey salad.
- Freeze: You can freeze these for up to 3 months after baking, or keep raw ones in the freezer for up to a year.
- Note on nutrition info: These numbers include the onions and broth, but we often don’t even eat them. You can customize this recipe in my Wholesome Yum App if you want to remove them from the nutrition calculation. (The carbohydrates will be much lower without the onions.)
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Baked Turkey Wings Recipe
Serving Ideas
Whether you make this turkey wing recipe for a holiday or just a cozy fall meal, here are some easy sides to complete your turkey dinner:
- Sauces – Top with gravy (you can make some from the pan drippings) and/or cranberry sauce if you like! That being said, this dish has a lot of seasoning, so I find it’s plenty flavorful without any sauce.
- Starchy Base – Since there’s flavorful broth at the bottom of the pan, I always serve these wings over mashed cauliflower or potatoes to catch it.
- Vegetables – The oven temp for baking turkey wings is too low for me to roast veggies at the same time, so I prefer to cook them using other methods, such as green beans almondine, air fryer brussels sprouts, or even a simple Thanksgiving salad.
- Dessert – Finish your meal with my crustless pumpkin pie, peanut butter oatmeal cookies, or almond flour cookies.
8 Comments
Catherine Robinson
0Hello, I would like to substitute the turkey wings for whole chicken wings. How many wings should I use for this recipe?
Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Catherine, I’ve only tested this particular recipe with turkey wings, but I have a whole chicken wings recipe here. If you still prefer to make this specific one, I would go by weight and use the same weight (5 pounds). The baking time will be much faster, since chicken wings are much smaller.
Love
0I definitely enjoyed these turkey wings more than I expected I would! Prepped this for dinner last night and it was an instant hit! This surely earned a spot on my holiday menu. AMAZING recipe!!!
Ruth paige
0Oh so good i will give this recipe to my sisters just oh so good thank you so much
Amy
0Your baked turkey wings recipe has become a lifesaver for my holiday gatherings! The tender, juicy meat and golden, crispy skin are an absolute delight.
Jen
0This baked turkey wings recipe is a great alternative to the traditional roasted turkey. The wings are tender and juicy, with crispy skin. The Cajun and poultry seasoning gives them a great flavor. I highly recommend this recipe!
Kara
0These turkey wings were a hit at my dinner party. My guests enjoyed them so much, they asked me for the recipe. I loved the crispy skin and the tender meat! This is a great recipe for turkey lovers!
Sylvia
0Made this for dinner and it was a hit in the family. The turkey was really juicy and flavorful. I added a bit of cayenne to give it a bit of kick and the heat was perfect. I’m making this again for Thanksgiving.